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Putting bounty on coyotes is unnecessary and cruel

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I am writing to express my opposition to HB 1534 recently introduced by Representative Mike Peifer (R-Honesdale) which would allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to offer a $25 "bounty" on dead coyotes, with the hope that your readers will contact their state senators and urge them to vote against this Bill. This bill is unnecessary, unscientific, cruel and will not work.

In Pennsylvania we are constantly told that hunting seasons need to be expanded and increased because the overabundance of deer is damaging the forest. At the same time we currently allow the hunting of coyotes 24/7, 365 days per year. If we stop hunting the coyotes, the coyotes will stabilize the deer population at manageable, natural levels.

It has been proven many times that you cannot remove the apex predator from an environment and not do serious damage to the ecosystem. Out West when wolves were eliminated from many environments it led to overgrazing near water sources by deer and elk. When wolves were reintroduced, the wolves were able to keep the ungulates on the move thereby increasing trees and vegetation around water sources which allowed beavers to cut trees and create ponds thereby providing habitat for numerous other species. In addition thereto, it has been proven many times that the presence of wolves and coyotes increases the health of the ungulate herds by culling out the sick and weak from the breeding stock.

Many hunting advocates like Jim Posewitz, a Montana Wildlife Biologist and author of "Beyond Fair Chase" have pointed out that bounties are not effective in protecting wildlife and livestock, and do not reduce coyote populations. In addition thereto, he points out that bounties violate the "hunters fair chase code" and are "unsporting."

Many times in the past our governments have severely damaged eco-systems and the balance of nature by offering bounties on predators, and on other animals like the buffalo whose numbers were reduced from over 60 million to near extinction and who were only saved from extinction by the farsightedness of men like President Theodore Roosevelt and his father. In fact there were politicians in the 19th century that advocated bounties on native Americans.

Let's not make this same unscientific mistake again based on the misinformed and misguided desires of people like Representative Peifer. Thank you.

Garry S. Taroli, Esquire

Wilkes-Barre

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